The Calaveras County Water District (CCWD)

is proud to provide safe drinking water to our community. While lead exposure is a serious health concern, we have several processes in place to monitor for lead and minimize our customers' exposure to lead in drinking water.

None of CCWD's water main lines contain lead. In compliance with state and federal regulations, we recently conducted an inventory of underground water service lines that connect our main lines to homes and businesses.

CCWD completed the initial lead service line inventory required by U.S. EPA's Lead and Copper Rule Revisions on October 15, 2024. The deadline for the initial inventories was October 16, 2024.

Read the letter below:

In some parts of the country, homes built before 1986 (when plumbing rules changed) commonly contained lead pipes, fixtures and solder. Fortunately, lead pipes were not common in California. The most common problem in today’s homes in California is with copper pipes connected with lead solder, and with older brass faucets and fixtures. These can leach significant amounts of lead into the water, especially hot water.

Because you cannot see, taste, or smell lead in water, testing is the only sure way of telling whether it is present in your drinking water. If your home has lead pipes (lead is a dull gray metal that is soft enough to be easily scratched with a house key), or if you see signs of corrosion (frequent leaks, rust-colored water, stained dishes or laundry) you may want to have your water tested for lead.

If you are unsure about lead levels in your home, or if your home was constructed before 1986, you can take the following precautions:

• Flush your tap. Run water for 15-30 seconds or until it reaches a steady temperature before using it for drinking or cooking. This flushes potential lead-containing water from the pipes.
• Use cold water for cooking. Lead dissolves more easily in hot water so use cold water for cooking or to make baby formula. Boiling water does not remove lead.
• Filter the water. You may want to consider purchasing a water filter if lead is present in the water. Read the package to be sure the filter is certified to reduce lead or contact NSF International at 800-673-8010 or www.nsf.org for information on performance standards for water filters.
• Test your water for lead.  If you decide to use a commercial laboratory, make sure it is certified by the state to perform the analysis.
• Determine whether your plumbing fixtures contain lead. Older faucets are more likely to be a problem compared to new ones. Since 2010, California law prohibits the sale of faucets that are not lead-free. If you have an old faucet, particularly one made with brass components before 1986, you should consider testing the water for lead.

CCWD is proud to provide safe drinking water that the community can trust. To review our annual water quality report, lead inventory, or receive additional information about the quality of your drinking water.

Additional Resources:

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (www.epa.gov)

Protect your Tap: A Quick Check for Lead

CA State Water Resources Control Board (www.waterboards.ca.gov)

SWRCB: Lead and Copper Rule for Drinking Water

FAQs (March 2023) – Lead and Copper Rule Revisions | Lead Service Lines Inventory